Sun Journal photographers seize spectacle of pageant

It’s midway by way of the top occasion of the yr for the cities of Lewiston and Auburn, and launch-wise, it’s already extra profitable than the prior yr. The wind has behaved properly sufficient to accommodate two out of three scheduled balloon launches which have occurred to date. Festival attendees who confirmed as much as catch Friday morning’s kickoff launch had been upset when it was deemed too windy to take off. There was a typical fear that the weekend can be a wash due to a worsening climate forecast.

But these grounded hopes — and balloons — had been in a position to take flight by the night. That pleasure lasted into the following day when the earliest of risers had been greeted with a caravan of vehicles and trailers hauling the new air balloons and their related crews at 5:45 a.m. 

Ticket holders for Saturday morning’s rides had been in a position to maintain their reservations. That included a bunch of 4 relations and pals from southern Maine who had been slated to go up first, in “The Pretty One” piloted by Timothy Schonman. Fittingly, a type of passengers, Talia from Gorham, mentioned that she’s been coming to the balloon pageant and Lewiston to go to household her complete life, however it will be the primary time attending to take a balloon experience. 

Seven balloons would ascend over Simard-Payne Memorial Park, drifting over the Androscoggin River and into Auburn, albeit below a largely grey sky, in entrance of a crowd a number of hundred robust. Many clapped or cheered out loud for every balloon. 

Another passenger, Temetrice Rhea-Haynes, flew in from Chicago to take a balloon experience Saturday, on a ticket gifted by her relations. Rhea-Haynes gave hugs and kisses to these relations and advised them she liked them, “just in case,” she mentioned, alluding to the potential for an accident. 

She landed within the basket of one of the skilled balloon pilots doable, with Derald Young of Damn Yankee Balloons. Not solely has he been flying since 1979, in keeping with his crew, he’s primarily based out of Dixfield and is aware of the native ambiance as a lot as anybody may.

When it was lastly time to take to the sky and the basket now not touched the bottom, Rhea-Haynes shouted, “up, up, and away!” whereas waving broadly, eliciting laughter and loud cheers from these watching under.

The Lewiston-Auburn balloon pageant continues by way of Sunday.